A significant discovery was made during archaeological excavations conducted at the Abhayagiri monastery complex wall, located in the ancient capital of Sri Lanka and recognized as a sacred city for Buddhism and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The project leader, Tusita Herath, considered this find the most important in more than three decades on this protected archaeological site. He told the France-Presse (AFP) agency from the excavation site, located 210 kilometers north of the capital Colombo: 'We have found artifacts before, but this is the first time we have discovered such a large number of statues.'
These seventeen gold-covered bronze statues share similarities with artifacts dating back to the 7th and 8th centuries, Herath reported. He added that samples have been sent to analysts, and they are expected to present them to the public in about a month.
The sacred city of Anuradhapura was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in December 1982 (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). The Central Cultural Fund of Sri Lanka has been conducting excavations since the international UNESCO recognition, which placed obligations on the South Asian country to preserve its heritage.
This region is known for embracing various schools of Buddhism—Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana—and has attracted scholars and pilgrims from China and India throughout the centuries.